“The Team 2 Leader, that fellow, snorted, laughing at how we could compare you to him. If his prided discerning eye takes a hit, his bloated ego’s going to deflate.”

The Team 3 Leader made a satisfied smile.

“I can’t wait.”

I bought a soda from the vending machine.

My thoughts began to organize now that I had something cold in my belly.

It was like the Team 3 Leader said. There was no need to worry.

My team worked crazy hard for the past two months.

It was just that future. It kept bugging me. So I worked harder than ever before on this project. I even needed to shorten my sleep time. Lee Songha and Nam Joyoon also worked so hard that it was a wonder they haven’t collapsed yet.

They also proved their hard work through their acting.

Each day on set was one of admiration. I always tried to look calm because there were people around, but whenever I saw them act, I felt a surge of joy in me. There were multiple occasions where I wanted to run around the set applauding them.

So…

Let’s not worry about the uncertain future that might have already been changed.

Thinking this, I was about to go into the office.

“Ah, hello, chief!”

A person who was leaning on my desk hurriedly bowed to me.

It was pouring outside, yet it looked like the sun was shining around him.

“I’m Song Inho. We met last time.”

“… I remember.”

I nodded while walking casually.

Honestly, taking each step was scary. I thought I would see that same future again.

However, my vision didn’t go dark or become hazy.

I relaxed my tensed shoulders and said,

“What brings you to Team 3?”

“That is… I wanted to meet you. About this.”

Song Inho showed me what was in his hand.

It was a bundle of A4 paper that had been flipped through so many times the edges were worn. I knew in an instant.

So it’s that.

“It’s a scenario of an independent film. It’s the work of a director I’m close with, and I’m going to play the lead. That’s why, if you’re okay with it, I was hoping you could read this and give me your thoughts. You know, since you’re famous for this.”

Song Inho bit his lower lip before adding,

“I showed my team leader first, but his reaction was a bit…”

“What did the Team 2 Leader say?”

“An unknown director with no accomplishments, and a scenario that won’t bring in investments.”

He said with a faint smile.

“’It will be very time-consuming. It is uncertain if it can even be released or not. Even if it is released, a low-budget film like this will only open in at most twenty theatres. A project that’ll be considered a success if ten thousand people go watch it,’ is what he said.”

“Yet you still want to do this?”

My voice sounded unfamiliar.

Without hesitation, Song Ingo nodded.

“I learned a lot from this director before I entered W&U. I told him I would do his movie if he ever had a good scenario. This. He said he wrote this with me as the lead. He even but his home as collateral to make this movie.”

Song Inho carefully smoothed out the scenario.

His eyes were full of hope and happiness as he looked at it.

“How could I refuse? I…”

Song Inho’s gaze landed on me.

“… don’t want to be an actor like that.”

… Ah, damn it.

I want him.

I exhaled what felt like cigarette smoke and put my hand out.

“Then shall we read it?”

***

Nam Joyoon opened his apartment door.

A middle-aged woman entered while taking off her thick scarf. She was his mother.

“A hurricane came by during the summer, and now there’s a crazy blizzard during the winter. We’re just getting hit with everything, aren’t we?”

“Why didn’t you call? I would have gone to pick you up.”

“It’s not my first time coming to Seoul. I can make my way through it now.”

His mother scanned his dreary apartment.

A clunky laptop tossed on his bed. There was a movie paused on its screen. His desk was piled with stacks of scenarios and notes. His bookcase was filled with DVD cases.

After carefully examining every nook and cranny, her wrinkled face relaxed.

“It’s better than before. It looks like a human’s room this time.”

Nam Joyoon bashfully rubbed his neck.

His mother walked to his fridge and put down her large luggage bag. It was filled with plastic bags full of side dishes.

“I brought stir-fried anchovies, pickled garlic stems, and others. They will all last a long time in the fridge so eat up. Don’t eat instant noodles, okay? Live like an actual human being.”

“I am eating decently. I’m an adult.”

“Oh, really? I can clearly tell how you live without even seeing. You incompetent son of mine.”

His mother said with narrowed eyes before opening his fridge.

Then she paused. There were a few side dishes in containers inside.

“What the heck? There’s human food in the fridge? Where did they come from?”

“Ah, those. Someone^{1} I work with gave them to me.”

Nam Joyoon said with a slight smile.

At the same time, his mother discovered the small notes on the containers.

{Eat them. Don’t starve.}

“Is it a girl?”

“It’s a he.”

Her expectant face crumbled.

She jumped up and slapped his back.

“I can’t believe it! How sad did you look for a man to give another man side dishes?!”

Slaps resounded for a long time in his small apartment.

After calming down, his mother said,

“Still, I’m thankful. Bring him home one day. I’ll cook meat.”

“I’ll ask.”

Nam Joyoon nodded while stealthily rubbing his back.

Sitting back down in front of the fridge and placing the side dishes in the fridge, his mother asked,

“You… aren’t going to do that movie you were planning on doing with that actor Jung Hyowon during the summer, right?”

“I decided not to a long time ago because of some circumstances.”

“Always with the circumstances. Why are there so many circumstances in this industry?”

His mother said clicking her tongue.

Moving the side dish containers around in the fridge, she sighed.

“You, just stay here during Lunar New Year this time. Don’t come home.”

Before Nam Joyoon could reply, his mother quickly added,

“It’s not because we’re embarrassed. It’s because of your father.”

“Did something happen to him?”

Nam Joyoon asked with a stiff expression.

His mother hesitated, opening and closing her mouth a few times. Then she said,

“That’s not it. Your father got together to drink with his siblings and made a mistake. He told them you were in a big movie. It seems he let it slip while drunk since those fellows were constantly asking what you were up to.”

‘That idiot. Alcohol is his enemy.’

His mother muttered under her breath before continuing,

“If you come home, they are probably going to pester you with questions and end up saying something unpleasant. There’s no need to take the train all the way home to hear that. I’ll pack some New Year’s food for you so just stay in Seoul.”

His mother shut the fridge door and stood up.

Breaking the short silence, Nam Joyoon said,

“I am in a different movie. If there’s no problem, it’ll be released in the summer.”

“Good. If you didn’t have your circumstances. Which theatres are going to play it? No matter how busy we are, we should watch it as a family.”

“This time… It should be playing in theatres across the country.”

His mother’s eyes bulged.

“The country? E-even down in the countryside? All of them?”

“Probably.”

“Oh my goodness. Is-is it as big as the summer movie you aren’t doing anymore?”

Nam Joyoon’s lips opened slightly before closing.

After a short moment of silence, he said,

“Once the movie is edited, once everything is certain… I’ll tell you then.”

“Okay, good. That’s probably better. Don’t tell your father. If he gets his hopes up and is disappo-“

His mother caught herself.

Nam Joyoon lowered his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to be sorry.”

His mother slapped his back again.

“If you can’t quit this anyways, just live doing what you love. It’s fine as long as you eat.”

Nam Joyoon smiled faintly at her blunt words.

His mother rubbed his back as she grumbled,

“Still, I’m curious what kind of movie it is.”

***

I was about to get in my minivan like normal before I stopped.

The world, which had been freezing not too long ago, had begun to thaw. The people who went around huddled, fully geared in parkas and scarves, looked a bit more relaxed. Their breaths were almost invisible in the air now.

My phone in my pocket vibrated. It was Team Leader Park.

-Are you on your way to work?

“Yes, what is it?”

-Alive’s main poster arrived.

“Ah.”

-Royal Family’s press release is also complete. We need to move at full throttle now.

“Time goes by very quickly.”

Every day passed as a blur and finally, the time had arrived.

Spring.

The season of harvest.

^{1} In the raws, he uses ‘dongsaeng’ which is a gender-neutral term for someone younger than him.

{Quite a few time skips in this chapter :o}